FEAR
by SNOWGLOBESAREAWESOME
Summary: Seras is trapped with Alucard in a mansion, far from Hellsing, for the next several months. Seras feels the creeping tendrils of insanity as both the mansion and Alucard begin to toy with her mind, body, and soul. Sequel to Thirst. Alucard/Seras.
1. Chapter 1

FEAR

A Hellsing Fanfiction

**Author's Note: **

**And so my swiftly-written sequel begins. Let me know if this is an interesting approach to an idea that might be awesome, or might be not-so-awesome. I'd love input, ideas, and whatnot. **

**Happy writing!**

**-snowglobesAREawesome**

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><p><strong>Chapter One:<strong>

**A Mansion of Dust**

The massive stone mansion appeared punitive in the unforgiving silver glow of the moon's light. Ivy crawled up the mansion walls and a tall iron gate encompassed the ghostly building. Seras was snatched from her observations when a car door slammed behind her. She turned and inspected the grim features of the driver, who was assigned the arduous task of transporting Seras into Nowhere, far from Somewhere. The drive was four hours long, and with Master in the seat beside her, it felt even longer.

Alucard emerged from the black car and pointed his red eyes toward their new home before slipping his sunglasses on. Seras' skin prickled. When he wore those sunglasses, she had the creeping suspicion that he was taking her in with his eyes, inspecting her as if he were looking for some sort of flaw.

"Do you need help with your bags, Sir?" asked the reluctant driver with a despondent sigh. Alucard fixed his eyes on the human, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"No," he replied casually. "You had better leave, before dear Seras decides she'd like a midnight snack. We can carry our own bags." Alucard's easy manner betrayed his teasing, and the driver laughed nervously.

"I wish you would quit with the teasing, Master," Seras grumbled, extracting their bags from the car's trunk. Once all eight bags were removed, the driver gunned it down the long stone-paved driveway and out of sight. Seras blew a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes and gathered as many bags as she could carry. She began the slow waddle toward the mansion and Alucard trailed behind her, chuckling quietly.

The heavy metal chain that bound the gate was rusted. A thick padlock locked it in place, and an H shaped key-hole was hollowed in the center. Seras also noticed that the gate had a metal insignia, the letter H as well. Alucard extracted a long iron key and unlocked the gate. Seras continued the long march to the front door.

It was a massive door, painted red and adorned with an elegant knocker in the center. She examined it, admiring the carefully-carved cherubs on the knocker's surface. The door was also locked, and Alucard used the same key. He swept by her into the house and Seras struggled in with the bags, kicking the door shut behind her.

The place obviously hadn't been prepared for them. A dense layer of dust covered every surface. The massive crystal chandelier that dangled over their heads was choked with cob webs and the crimson rug was dirtied by mold. The sharp smell of it made Seras' nose burn.

"This place is a pit," she groaned, dropping the bags to the floor as Alucard struck a match and lit a few dusty candles. The light cast eerie shadows on his tall, slender form, urging Seras to look away from him with a thick swallow. The air was stagnant, so Seras opened a window and nearly chopped her hand off in the process. A book was a successful prop for the rickety window, and the cool air that flowed in made her sigh in relief.

"Let us explore, hm? It's been a long while since I've been in a mansion as large and lavish as this." Alucard's deep voice didn't echo through the house, like Seras' did when she responded.

"I've never been in a place like this before."

Seras' keen vampiric eyesight could clearly detect the shapes and forms of furniture in the house, but she wanted to see the colors. She grabbed a large candle from a tabletop and searched her pockets for a lighter. Seras gasped when Alucard appeared beside her and struck a match. As he lit it, his face hovered near hers.

"You don't like the dark, Seras?" he inquired, brow arching over his glasses. Seras shuffled away awkwardly, and nearly tripped over a section of rumpled rug. Alucard radiated with arrogance as he paced away slowly, a broad grin painting his face. If Seras had feathers, they would have been ruffled. She had to step away.

The long hallway that snaked away from the main lobby was even darker, due to the complete lack of windows. The light of her candle cast eerie shadows against the framed photos on the wall. Stuffy-looking individuals from the 1800's stared straight ahead at Seras. She avoided eye contact with the photographs, fearing that their long-dead eyes would follow her down the hall.

The hall opened up into a library, with tall, looming shelves and a heavy wooden reading desk in the center. Seras reached for a lamp, only for it to erupt in sparks when she flipped the switch. She traveled through the library and found a hidden stairwell, most likely intended for the servants to use. The large, regal staircase was in the lobby. The staircase she found was narrow and dull. She ascended the steps carefully.

The first bedroom was enormous. Silver moonlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling window, illuminating the gigantic bed, which was covered in dust. Seras looked around the royal-looking room and appraised the bed, which had distinctly crimson blankets and pillows.

"This will be an interesting time for us, Seras." Her master's voice was unexpected, and Seras jumped in surprise. He was behind her, yet when she turned around, she saw only the silvery light of the moon on the hardwood floors. A chill crept up her spine and she suppressed a violent shudder at the unease that swept through her. A gloved hand gently grazed the skin of her arm before vanishing entirely and leaving Seras alone to the silence.

Even though padlocks and closed doors could not keep Alucard out of Seras' bedroom, she shut and locked the door. It took several hours to strip the massive canopy bed of its heavy red comforters, and replace them with her simple black sheets from Hellsing. The mattress seemed to be in good condition, after a long time of disuse. She secured the thick black curtains firmly closed as the first light of dawn crept over the trees. She crawled into the bed, sighing with exhaustion.

In her efforts to become comfortable, Seras' arm hit a lever on the rail of the bed. Before she could think of how peculiar it was to have a lever so modern on a bed so old, the heavy wooden "canopy" began to descend with a quiet whir. Seras watched with wide red eyes as the canopy closed in on her and stopped once she was firmly enclosed in the coffin.

That is when she realized…

A vampire had lived there before.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

_**Mine**_

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

**An asterisk (one of these *) references a footnote. I think there's only one here. **

**I hope this picks up some momentum. If only a few people are reading, I might need to reconsider if this is super lame or not. .**

**Happy Writing!**

**-snowglobesareAWESOME**

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><p>Seras awoke feeling fully rested. As she reclined in the coffin, eyes closed and thoughts drifting lazily, she wondered if Master had found a comfortable place to sleep.<p>

_Yes, Seras, I am _quite_ comfortable. _

Just as his voice invaded her mind, Seras became aware of a heaviness across her waist. Her eyes snapped open and Alucard's arm drew her against his chest. His warmth was startling and Seras scrambled to get away, immediately remembering their indiscretions in her bathroom at Hellsing.*

Alucard's grip on her tightened, and he settled his chin into the crook of her neck. His hot breath warmed the skin of her throat and she shivered.

"Relax, Seras. You will have to get used to this arrangement soon, so why not now?" His voice was a deep rumble near her ear.

"Just why will I have to get used to this?" she insisted, squirming against his chest and grabbing at the sheets. His grip grew more restricting and Seras' wiggling ceased. She had the creeping feeling that he was deriving enjoyment from the situation.

"This is the only functional coffin in this old mansion. We'll have to share until Integra ships a new one, which could take _weeks_." His voice was too strong for the small space and Seras felt the urge to thrash against the coffin lid. Instead, she wriggled her arm loose and flipped the lever.

The curtains were pulled open. A blood bag waited on the nightstand, which used to be dusty. Just as Seras began to inquire who had pulled back the curtains, cleaned down the dusty nightstand, and provided the bag of blood, a force clamped down on her mind.

Alucard's black tendrils oozed from his arms and went through her clothes, brushing against her flesh with electric intensity. She gasped in surprise, but was held immobile by his occupation of her mind. It was a lack of control that Seras had never experienced before, and it sent cold spikes of fear through her heart.

_Remember one thing, __**Seras Victoria**__. Remember that you are __**mine**__, no matter what or __**who**__ happens. You are __**my**__ servant, and mine to do with as I please. Do not forget it, Seras._

The warning was loud in her mind, and just as the last ominous rumbles of his voice faded to silence, a young man stepped from the shadows.

He couldn't have been much older than Seras. He had short black hair that dangled in his coal-colored eyes, which stared straight ahead. His expression was one of a prisoner, and of someone whose lips were forcibly sewn shut. Seras snapped out of her moment of surprise and realized the position she was in.

Her master's arms were still coiled around her abdomen, his chest flush against her shoulders and back. His groin against her ass, his arms wrapped about her pushing her breasts up and creating an uncomfortable amount of cleavage.

She scrambled to loose herself, and when Alucard's grip didn't give, she craned her head back to give him a glare. She found him staring down the young man with a steel gaze, as if he were trying to make him turn into a pile of salt.

"Master, please, you're crushing my ribs," Seras pled, feeling the air leave her lungs. Alucard sighed, as if drawn from a fantasy-realm, and released her. She stood, tugging her skirt down and rebuttoning the top two buttons of her shirt, which had _somehow_ come undone.

"Um, hello. I-um-didn't see you there."

"Don't mind me, Miss," spat the young man, dark eyes turning on her and showing his contempt. "It doesn't bother me to see the two of you tangled in some sort of embrace. I'm just the servant, bringing you your meal." His voice dripped with sarcasm. Seras peered at him through squinted lids and paced toward him. He didn't flinch or look away. He wasn't afraid of vampires.

"What's your name?" she inquired, taking in the sharp edges of his jaw and the strain in his neck. Was he about to attack her? His stance said, "yes". However, he never sprang forward, never attempted a blow. He simply stared, eyes like the entrance to a cave.

"Leave him alone, Seras. The poor boy doesn't like your midnight breath." Alucard rose from the bed, his white shirt wrinkled. Seras blushed when she realized that not only was it wrinkled, but unbuttoned. She'd seen men without shirts at all, and it was completely acceptable…so why did it feel different with Master?

He breezed by them both. The young servant turned his full attention to Seras, unabashedly drinking in her form with disinterested eyes. Seras' skin felt hot as his gaze returned to hers, and he asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss?"

"Please, call me Seras," she muttered, but he didn't respond, only stared straight ahead. Her throat felt dry, but she was uncomfortable with drinking in front of a human, so she snatched up the bag and headed down the hall and into the main lobby.

The mansion hadn't changed much since the previous night, but it had undergone some slight alterations. She attributed them to the new servant Integra had supplied. There were lanterns hung every few feet, illuminating the eerie framed photos in an orange light. The hall opened up to the main living area, with a gorgeous chandelier that was dusted and lit with a hundred flickering candles. The furniture was still covered by a thin plastic sheet and the kitchen was black as pitch. Seras couldn't wait to get started.

Seras' bags were still nestled by the door. Contained inside them were mostly books to pass the time, as well as several sets of her uniform and a few things to sleep in. However, the most important thing was her source of music. The little rectangular MP3 player was cheap – something Walter snagged from a drug store for her one afternoon. Stocking it with music had been a nearly impossible task, but she soon found that one of the men had a laptop outfitted with several thousand songs.

She had never heard them, but came to like them rather quickly.

As she slipped the headphones over her ears, the servant breezed by her and began dusting a vast bookshelf. Seras tried to ignore the negative energy that pulsed from the young man and turned up the volume on her music player. She began the task of hurling the plastic covering off the furniture, then cleaning the fabric. All the while, Alucard sat in an arm chair, sipping a _glass_ of blood, reading an old-looking novel.

Seras had always wondered what her master filled his time with, and she finally knew: absolutely nothing. He was a lazy individual that rarely lifted his eyes from the pages of his book. He turned the pages quickly, and by the time Seras was dusting the fireplace, he flipped the last page and placed the book on his lap.

"Seras, remember what I told you," he mentioned nonchalantly, as if it had only just come to him and he hadn't practically growled it at her several hours prior. "After I changed you, you became _mine_. Nothing will change that, not even the pitiful puppy love you will undoubtedly develop for our moping young man. Know that you have blood in you that is older than you can imagine, and makes you unable to couple with such…filth."

Seras felt a flare of anger, which was surprising even to her. Master's strange little comments about owning her had never bothered her before – not really, at least. Instead, she had come to accept it as a part of his personality – dominance and raging jealousy.

But in that moment, she felt the overwhelming need for independence.

"You, nor anyone else, will ever _own me_," Seras spat, dropping her dusting rag. "I may call you 'Master' and do as you say, but you do not _own me_. I make the decision to listen to you. Before now, you may have owned me…but not now, Alucard."

The words fell from her lips as if they were said by someone else entirely and Seras' stomach muscles tightened at the intense emotions that accompanied them. It was true. She felt it in her heart. No one owned her anymore. But what had changed, exactly?

And why, _why_, had she called her master by his true name?

Alucard's brows were raised high, his eyes gleaming in thought. He placed the glass on the nightstand and rose, allowing the book to tumble to the floor. It hit with a loud _smack_ and jolted Seras' senses. His long strides toward her echoed through the empty space, and out of the corner of her eye she spotted the servant as he ducked into a random room.

Her master radiated power and dominance, and Seras felt like she was waving her fist in the face of a mighty flame. His expression was nearly unreadable. But just before Alucard's grip closed around her wrist, she saw a glint in his eye that portrayed pride.

She feared he would break the wrist again – crush it in the force of his wrath. She was surprised when he used his grip on her wrist to yank her forward and flat against his chest, every inch of them meshing together. His other hand fell to her lower back, holding her firmly against the heat of his body. Seras' every nerve came alive, and the impulse to flee was delayed by the strange allure that seeped into her bones and made her feel drunk.

With savage force, Alucard's lips fell on hers. He pressed her back against the fireplace, the jagged metal edges of it jabbing into her back and producing blood. His tongue slid against the juncture of her lips, demanding her compliance...

And Seras' lids drifted close. His words still echoed in her mind…

_**Mine.**_

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><p>*read "Thirst" to get this reference.<p>

**Thinking of a name for our surly new character, which is original (just like Alaric)!**


	3. Chapter 3

******Soooo sorry! Classes started again, and I just couldn't find time to write! But when I revisited this story, in a fit of insomnia, I had a sudden burst of inspiration and threw this chapter together rather quickly.**

**So if there are any conceptual or grammatical issues...it's because I'm writing this when I'm exhausted and praying for sleep to find me. **

**Enjoy, and let me know where you would like to see this go. _I_ know where _I_ want it to go, but I'm curious what other people are thinking about it. **

**Happy writing.**

**-snowglobesareawesome**

**Chapter Three:**

**A Night-Time Visit**

Seras couldn't believe what was happening.

She felt the strength of his arms around her waist, but it wasn't registering with her mind. She kissed him with abandon, but didn't really understand what she was doing until a hard knock reverberated through the house. With a gasp, Seras tried to pull away, but Alucard growled and kissed her harder. The footsteps of the servant boy echoed through the room yet still his lips seared hers until she feared her heart would explode.

When the boy arrived to answer the door, Alucard finally released her. But not before he bit down on her bottom lip, as if he were bookmarking a page that he planned on returning to later. Dazed and mildly humiliated, Seras bowed her flushed head and paced toward the front door, where the servant boy stood. The door opened to reveal Integra, looking particularly flustered and haughty. Long silvery strands of her blonde hair fell over eyes that gleamed like wizened sapphires.

"Miss Victoria," she greeted with a curt nod of her head. "Archer," she acknowledged with another tip of her head, toward the servant boy. His lips drew into a line and his black eyes darted away, in an attempt to hide his emotions. The Hellsing heir breezed by the two of them and entered the main living area. There she found Alucard by the fireplace, looking like a smug bastard with a secret.

"Alucard," she nearly ground out, restraining the anger that was sure to be unleashed eventually. "How are things here?" It was petty small talk. Seras knew what small talk between the two meant – time to vacate the premises. She began to slip toward the stairwell, but Integra's voice stopped her.

"_Miss Victoria,_" she called sternly. "Could I have a word, please?" Seras winced, but turned and headed toward where they stood. She was aware of Alucard's eyes on her, watching her movements with a perverted glint in his garnet eyes.

"Yes, Sir Integra?" Seras stuttered and came to stand beside Alucard.

"I have some devastating news. The young man that you attacked, Alaric Creston, died this morning." Integra's eyes were hard and unforgiving as she regarded Seras with an air of disgust.

In that moment, for a flash, Seras felt utterly inhumane. She felt loathed. The strength of the emotion seemed to perk Alucard's ears to her thoughts, and she felt his mind slip into hers quietly, like a hand would fit into a glove. His strong presence halted the quivering of her limbs.

"D-died? He died, from a broken arm?" It seemed so preposterous. Seras' voice sounded shaky, abnormal.

"You did a lot more than break his arm. He had brain damage, Miss Victoria. He succumbed to his ailments not even six hours ago. His skull filled with blood and ended his life." Her tone of voice was menacing, but also condemning. Seras could practically feel the hate rolling off Integra in giant, hot waves.

"I-I can't believe it," Seras muttered, feeling faint. Her knees nearly buckled, but Alucard was there in an instant. She was goaded into leaning against him for support. Her vision swam as the entirety of the realization hit her full force.

"Yes, well, as the leader of Hellsing, I am placed in an interesting position. Under normal circumstances, I would have you _put down_." The cold sound of her words made Seras' throat contract. She fought the tears that burned her eyes.

"Integra," Alucard began, voice strained and irregular.

"_However_," Integra continued, interrupting him, "I know that these are not normal circumstances. I know that you are not dangerous to anyone else, that it was an isolated incident. More than anything, I know that…" she paused to sigh. "That Alucard would never allow me to have you killed, Miss Victoria. Be glad of his strange attachment to you, for he is the only real thing keeping you _alive_ right now."

"Sir Integra," Seras began, voice broken. Her full weight rested against Alucard. She was too distressed to prohibit it.

"Now," Integra continued. "On the subject of your sleeping arrangement. Another coffin should be here within two or three days. Until then, the two of you will have to make do." Her eyes darted to Alucard, discernment clear in the crystal-blue depths. "I am certain that you have already agreed upon an arrangement." She straightened the sleeves of her suit before nodding at them both and striding from the room. The servant, discovered to be known as Archer, shut the door behind Integra before retreating up the stairs.

Seras fell back onto the sofa, feeling like her chest was going to cave in. She felt hyperventilation sinking in, and forced herself to stop breathing in order to prevent it. She felt Alucard's weight settle beside her, and allowed his arm to encompass her shoulders carefully.

"I can't believe it," she repeated, her voice sounding dead and empty.

"Relax, Seras," Alucard muttered quietly, with an intimate tone that made Seras shudder. "It is not so large an issue. You would say it was an accident. I would say it was your true nature – what you are meant to be." His voice was so low, so gentle, but his words were like a stone in a pond, sending out ripples of devastation through Seras.

"I _killed _someone, Alucard." She looked down at her hands. They were shaking, but she imagined them taking a life. Robbing someone of their breath. Robbing _Alaric_ of his breath. She had liked Alaric. _Why did I kill him?_

"Seras," Alucard sighed, "it was bound to happen, eventually."

"Have _you_ ever killed someone, outside of your duties at Hellsing?" Seras' eyes were sincere as she watched Alucard's face split open with a wolf-like grin.

"I'm afraid so," he responded, sounding delighted.

Seras realized who she was talking to and nearly scoffed. _Of course_ Alucard had killed before. He was, after all, a _real_ vampire. Seras was a sham, a joke compared to him.

As soon as the thoughts formed in her head, Alucard took her face and tilted it toward his own. His gaze was searingly hot and searching.

"You are not a _sham_," he practically snarled. "You come from _my_ blood, _my_ body. Nobility courses through your veins, and in the instant that you snapped that puny human's arm, you _owned _that nobility." At his words, Seras felt a spark that ignited in her, somewhere deep inside. She felt that he was right, even though her guilt screamed and demanded to be noticed.

"Do not apologize for who we are. The moment you do that is the moment I will lose all respect for you. Instead, restrain the glorious beast that hides within you. Hide it from your masters so that they will believe you to be weak and dumb. And their presumption will be your strength."

Strangely, his words calmed the quivering of her limbs and Seras had to wonder if he were purposefully affecting her mood without her consent. She sighed in pure exhaustion before letting her eyelids drift close.

"I'm tired, Master," she muttered, reinstating the use of the term of respect. Alucard hummed in quiet delight.

"We will go to sleep early tonight, then."

Seras rose, feeling so much like an empty shell that she could've floated away. Her footsteps echoed through the hall as she crept toward their coffin, and Alucard's dark presence followed.


	4. Chapter 4

FEARChapter Four:Demons

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><p>Seras awoke in the middle of the day when she heard a loud thud come from outside the coffin. She wondered if her master had heard it and craned her neck around to see if he were awake. She found that his red eyes glowed in the dark, staring back at her.<p>

"Did you hear that, Master?" she whispered. He gave her a look that read, "No shit, dimwit." Seras sighed and shifted in the sheets. All of a sudden, the coffin felt rather crowded.

"What do you think it is?" Seras voice was a whisper, but was loud in the small space. When Alucard didnt respond, she turned around to face him, to see why. He wasnt there. In the space where he used to be there was only crumpled sheets. Seras frowned and wondered how many times he had disappeared while she was mid-sentence. Seras folded her arms across her chest and waited for him to return. When he appeared beside her, Seras sent him a glare.

"It is the servant boy. He is destroying the main living room," Alucard announced calmly.

"What? Why?" Seras reached for the lever that would open the coffin lid. Alucards hand closed around her wrist.

"If you leave, the sun will destroy your body." His eyes burned with intensity. "It doesnt feel very nice."

"How did you leave?" Seras sensed that it was another stupid question.

"I am a lot stronger than you, Seras," he stated simply.

"Did you tell him to stop?" she insisted.

"I made him sleep. The child has anger inside him. I could feel it. It seems he has been betrayed by someone who was close to his frail, beating heart."

Seras pondered this in silence as Alucards arm coiled about her waist and his head settled into the crook of her neck. With an expansive sigh, Alucard willed himself to sleep while Seras lay awake, mind bogged down with thoughts of the young man, Archer.

When the moon rose, Seras wide red eyes were still open. She felt Alucard stir behind her and she reached for the lever. The lid rose and she scrambled from the coffin, aware of Alucards keen gaze on her.

She found the boy asleep still, in the living room. He slept at an odd angle, with his head dangling off the side of the coffee table and his body sprawled on the hard wood tabletop. She snickered as she realized that Archer had fallen into that position as Alucard made him sleep, and the vampire had let him remain that way.

Seras decided to grab something to eat before waking the poor lad from his charmed slumber. She went to the kitchen and took a blood bag from the refrigerator. As she sat down and poured the red fluid into a bowl, Archer walked in. He groaned, rubbing his neck with a wince on his face.

"I think your master put a sleeping spell on me this morning," he grumbled in frustration.

"Its not a spell, really. Its more like persuasion," giggled Seras.

"Whatever it was, it made my bones hurt."

"Oh, thats from the position you slept in."

Seras dumped a spoonful of the cold blood into her mouth and watched Archers eyes go wide. She swallowed, blushing slightly.

"Im sorry...does it make you feel weirdly?"

"It is what you need to survive, right?" he inquired. Seras nodded. "Then its not weird."

Seras examined the strange young man with dark, suspicious eyes. She found it impossible for a normal human to accept her need to drink blood so easily. That meant he was lying or he was not your average human.

Alucard strolled into the room with a dramatic yawn, which broke the silence. He tossed Archer a toothy grin and poured himself a glass of nearly black blood. He took a swig and sat beside Seras at the kitchen table.

"Have a nice nap, Servant Boy?" asked the ancient vampire with a grin. Archers eyes seethed in quiet rage.

"Yes, sir," he muttered. "Can I get you anything?"

Alucard didnt respond. He took his glass and left, mirthful eyes glinting. "Ill be in the shower. If you were to come looking for me there, Seras, I cant say that Id mind."

Seras laughed nervously and took a sip of her breakfast. Archer left to clean up his path of destruction and she found herself alone with her demons. They emerged as if summoned by the silence.

She saw Alarics face, contorted in his dying moments. She saw him decay and bloat - saw his eyes enlarge and burst with maggots. Saw his jaw hang open in a silenced scream. Saw his chest fill with the fluids of his decomposition.

She felt the blood rising in her throat as tears stung her eyes. She vomited on the tabletop and felt her muscles go limp as she fell backward. She fell back into something as solid as a wall. Alucards arms gathered her to his chest and they vanished from the kitchen. Violent sobs racked her body and she felt the blood trickling down her throat and torso.

Alucard placed her on the counter top as the bathroom appeared around her. She heard the quiet sound of the shower head spewing water on tile. Her tear-filled eyes glanced up to see Alucard, wet and shirtless, kneeling before her. His eyes were stern, serious.

"Seras," he growled. "Listen to me. Do not let this get to you. He is gone. There is nothing you could have done." He tipped her chin when she refused to look at him. The vomited blood continued to drip, continued to condemn her. Alucard sensed her thoughts and sighed, bowing his raven head.

"You can not listen to me," he concluded. "I can only help you through your grief. It will grow your strength, in the end, or it will ruin you." He tugged on the ends of her shirt, untucking it from her pants. He proceeded to unbutton the offending, bloodied garment. Seras stilled his hands with wide eyes.

"You should trust me, Seras. Trust that I wouldnt have you any other way besides moaning and mewling for my touch." There was a glint of mischief in his eyes and it made Seras smile. She allowed him to help her undress and guide her to the shower. Once she stepped beneath it, he was gone.

She rested her head against the tile wall and cried.

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><p>I can explain why it has taken so long, and why it was so short. My laptop cord is broken, so I am writing all of this on my Kindle. Let me tell you, that is as near to misery as can be. So be patient. Im broke and it will be a while until I can replace it. Until then..<p>

Happy writing.-snowglobesareawesome


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Beside the Fire

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><p>Seras turned off the shower and poked out her head to locate her clothes. They had vanished. She slipped from the shower and wrapped her body in a towel but it only covered her torso and he top half of her thighs. She tiptoed down the hall, silently wishing she wouldn't bump into Alucard or Archer.<p>

Seras ducked into their bedroom and crouched in front of her suitcase to get a clean set of clothes. She extracted her cotton night gown and came to her feet.

"Well hello there, Seras."

Seras whipped around to find Alucard standing close behind her. She gasped and clutched at her towel. He grinned devilishly. Seras noticed that his long-sleeved white shirt was unbuttoned and his hair was clumped together in long, wet, inky black tendrils.

"I took your bloodstained clothes to the servant boy. I would have brought you new ones. You didn't have to go sneaking through the house in nothing but a towel. What if the servant had seen you?"

"Well, he didn't, so if you don't kind I'd like to get dressed...alone."

Alucard smirked before turning and striding casually out of the room. Quickly, she wriggled into the blue cotton gown and combed through her damp hair. She followed the halls through to the living room, where she found him.

His shirt was still unnervingly unbuttoned. Alucard sat before the blazing fireplace in a red armchair. From Seras' vantage point, her master's expression was hard and thoughtful. She began to back away silently but he halted her movements with a mild grin.

"Come, Seras, and sit with me." She pondered for a moment if he were serious or not. When he extended his hand to her, beckoning with the flames reflected in his eyes, she knew he was serious. Seras paced toward him, slowly noticing that there was only one chair in the vicinity - his chair. She paused in confusion, only for Alucard to grab her wrist and yank her onto his lap.

Her back hit his chest with an ungraceful thud, and her ass pushed against his groin. He didn't seem to mind those things, but Seras was perplexed and uncomfortable. His arms rested around her waist like steel bands - a fence that forbade her escape. She squirmed for a moment, but did not like the perverted chuckle that vibrated through Alucard's chest.

"What are you doing, Master?" she muttered, the heat of his body starting to seep into hers.

"Back to that old name, are we?" he teased. "I thought you declared your separation from my servitude."

Seras' face turned pink. "Old habit, I suppose." She sensed that he was distracting her from the matter at hand. "Why are you restraining me in your lap, Ma-Alucard?" He laughed again. Seras was not entertained.

"Do you not wish to sit with me by the fire, Seras? Are you above the desire for simple companionship?"

Seras frowned, smelling a rat. "I'm not above it, but you are."

Alucard let out a sigh of warm breath against her neck. "I like the simple things every now and again. I want to help you, Seras. Even now, as you sit with me, your mind is tormented with guilt. Frankly, Seras, it is annoying."

Seras fought the urge to hit him in his smug, inconsiderate face. She unclenched her fists and tried to relax. After all, there was no need to worry. He said he wanted to help.

"How can you help this guilt?" Seras' tone was outright pessimistic and bitter. She watched Alucard's finger trace the hem of her gown, which reached her knees.

"I can help by distracting your mind, giving you something else to think about." His breath hit the back of her neck and Seras shuddered. Everywhere that his body touched hers was overly heated and uncomfortable. She needed to move, and quick.

"What could distract my mind that well?" she scoffed and squirmed in an effort to get comfortable. Alucard was acting strange and her guard shot up.

"For one, the anxiety of wondering if the servant boy will see," he replied smoothly, evenly.

"See what-" As the words formed on her lips, Alucard's hand slipped swiftly under the hem of her night gown. His thumb pressed against her most private area, making Seras gasp sharply in surprise. Even through the cloth panties, Seras' body responded vehemently to his simple, blatant touch.

"A-Alucard! Move your hand!" Both of the small vampire's hands coiled around Alucard's wrist, yanking and tugging in a vain attempt to pull his hand away from the heated area.

"Move my hand? As you wish, Seras." Alucard smirked wickedly before rotating the pad of his gloved thumb against her (covered) clitoris. All rational thought drained from Seras' mind as the foreign sensation sent shocks of electricity up and down her thighs. Her shoulders immediately relaxed against the breadth of his chest and her legs opened wider of their own accord. A sound left her throat that was reminiscent of a wanton wench, and Seras cringed.

"Please, stop," she muttered, but stopped tearing at his hand. His thumb drew lazy circles through the fabric and Seras felt her breathing change. Her face flushed with warmth as Alucard's tongue traced the shell of her ear.

"Why are you doing this, Master?" she moaned as he applied more pressure to his ministrations. Seras felt something building inside her. It was something she had never before experienced, but she understood the general process of female satisfaction and anticipation flooded her. Her hand gripped his wrist, but no longer tried to pull it away.

"Why, you ask? Are you dumb, Seras Victoria? I have told you twice now. I am helping you."

The rush of his hot breath against her neck was strangely sensual and Seras moaned, even though he had insulted her. Her head lolled back against his shoulder and Alucard's lips dropped near to her ear.

"You are tormented by the human's death, and it is conveyed through the link of our minds. I want you to think about something else for tonight. I want you to think about what it would be like for me to take your body as my own - to do with it as I pleased."

His words made her pant and writhe against him. "I want you to think about my fingers, carrying you to completion. I want you to think about me groping your breasts..." His other hand smoothed over the surface of her chest, tweaking the nipple through the gown. Seras hissed in surprise.

His thumb rolled against her wetness swiftly, until Seras felt the heat, which built in her abdomen, explode through her body. Her legs snapped close and she arched her back, eyes shut and teeth bared.

Alucard let out a satisfied chuckle before he kissed her on the neck and stood, nearly catapulting her from his lap. He walked away, leaving Seras baffled in his wake. Alucard shut the bathroom door and sighed, closing his eyes and trying to think clearly. His desire had been to grind away his arousal against Seras, but he knew such a feral act would scare the girl. He had plans for Seras, yes, but who was to say that he couldn't have a little fun in the process?

Sorry about the false update thing. . I'm a slacker, I know. This is my first real attempt at all things smutty, so let me know how this first little encounter worked out. When re-reading it, it seemed kind of silly. Nevertheless, it plays heavily into the plot, as well as Alucard's "plans" for Seras. :D


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six:

I Will Follow

**Couldn't wait to release this chapter. Yay! Plot! Because I am an idiot and didn't post something that was already planned and pretty much written, I will post two in one day. Also because I'm super excited to get this ball rolling (finally)!**

Seras was aware that the sun would be coming up soon, but she couldn't fathom sharing a coffin with Alucard after _that_. She raked her hands through her hair and down her face in frustration, just in time for Archer to emerge from a room and see her mania in action. His eyebrow shot up and he paused mid-stride.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, Miss Seras?" The formal title sounded bitter on his lips and Seras would've snickered, if she weren't so distraught.

"I should be…any news on the extra coffin Integra mailed for me?" Seras' eyes were wide, pleading.

"No," he grunted, and then amended, "Miss Seras."

She groaned and trudged through the halls to the bedroom she shared with her pervy master. To her horror, Alucard was lying in the open coffin, looking much the same as earlier that evening. His hair was dry, though, and fell over his shoulders in a way that made Seras shiver. His leg was propped up provocatively. Or maybe it was only provocative because, after her master's strange and sudden intimate actions, Seras' mind was left in the gutter. She cleared her throat and coded her expression, but her mind was still buzzing with questions and fears. She marched to the coffin and clambered in, careful to keep her night gown from riding up.

Alucard pulled the lever and the lid closed slowly. The small space inside the coffin seemed to shrink even more as the lid clicked shut. Alucard's arm immediately found its place around Seras' waist. She sighed and gathered her hysterical thoughts.

"Do you have a question for me, Seras?" he inquired, his deep, smooth voice tossing all rational thoughts from her mind. "Your thoughts are loud and incoherent." Seras stilled the shaking in her limbs as, out of nowhere, Alucard's lips ghosted over the soft skin of her neck.

"I think so," she replied weakly and selected one of the many questions that ran rampant in her head. "Why did you select _that_ method to 'distract' me from my guilt? I can't help but think that your motives are not what you claim them to be."

"And what would my motives _truly_ be, Seras?" he inquired and shifted closer to her. Seras cleared her throat and craned her head back to make eye contact with the ancient vampire.

"You can't answer a question with a question, Master."

"I can, if it answers your question. What motive can you dream up, beside the one I gave you, hm?"

Seras had a dangerous, lingering idea taking root in her mind. She feared saying it, but the thought sprung up before she could stop it. Her master's ears were perked, and she blushed furiously when he heard the fleeting thought.

"You think I am in _love_ with you, Seras?" he asked incredulously, a wicked, taunting laugh added at the end.

"That's not exactly what I thought," she protested, cheeks burning furiously.

"Well, you can put that idea to rest. I am not in _love_ with you, Seras."

Seras felt an odd sinking in her stomach, and a sudden desire for silence. She sighed expansively and relaxed her tense muscles. Alucard rested his chin in the crook of her neck, unaffected by their heated conversation.

The presence of another body so close to her own seemed to drag her into sleep, despite her frustrations. She lost consciousness to the rhythmic thrumming of Alucard's fingers against her hip.

When she awoke, Alucard was flush against her backside, of course. She decided to wait until he woke, rather than wake him by squirming out of his arms. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander. After a moment, Alucard's arm around her waist flexed. She heard him shifting and then felt his lips on her neck, beneath her ear. She sighed involuntarily and allowed her eyes to remain closed. His lips against her skin were patient and almost teasing. Before Seras could stop herself, she was tracing circles on Alucard's arm, which banded across her waist.

With a jolt, she snapped back to reality. Alucard sensed the change and clenched his jaw in frustration. Seras struggled to worm away from him and he allowed it, relinquishing his grip on her midsection. His eyes were like molten steel when she situated herself to face him. She mustered up the courage to speak, knowing it would break the eerie tension between them.

"Can you pull the lever, Alucard? The sun is down." At this, his eyes twinkled with something akin to mirth.

"I am aware, Seras."

Blankly, she stared back at him and his smug, "I know something you don't" expression. After a moment, she pursed her lips and leaned over Alucard to pull the lever herself. His hands connected with her hips, forcing them down onto his. Seras gasped sharply and pounded a fist against his chest.

"Let me go," she growled, her anger mounting. A light danced in his eyes and he gave her a toothy grin.

"Seras Victoria," he muttered lowly, "have you ever considered leaving your masters and living independently, to do as you please?" There was a serious undertone in his voice and Seras feared it was a trap.

"You are my master, Alucard… I've never considered leaving you. You've taught me…how to _exist_."

"While your answer pleases me," he purred surreptitiously, "I am referring to your _human_ masters."

"Integra?" Seras inquired, perplexed.

"Integra, yes, and whosoever else should rise to become Hellsing's leader. Have you considered breaking away from Hellsing, to make a life of your own?"

His eyes were intent and focused on Seras. She tugged on the collar of her nightgown and cleared the lump from her throat. "Um…maybe, occasionally…but isn't that normal?" Seras realized that the question could _indeed_ be a trap, set up by Integra to uncover any un-loyal intentions hidden beneath the surface. She back peddled. "I mean, just because I've _considered _it doesn't mean I'd ever do it."

"And why the hell not?" he inquired calmly. Seras' eyes went wide.

"Um, because… I could never pull it off. And my life is here. My mentor is here…" Her sentence trailed as she realized how ridiculous she sounded – like a silly fool who adored Alucard.

"What you're saying," he continued with a feral grin, "is that wherever I go, you will go."

Panic flowered in her chest. "NO, Alucard, that's not what I meant." Humiliation made her cheeks turn bright pink. She closed her eyes, willing away the entire situation, including the awkward fact that their hips were still touching and his hands still held onto her. He spoke into her mind, commanding that she open her eyes. She did, but not gladly.

"Listen to me carefully," he muttered almost inaudibly. "Where I go, will you accompany me? This isn't a trick. Just answer, Seras." She could see in his eyes that he wasn't lying or teasing. She searched for the answer. What would Hellsing be like without Alucard to guide and prepare her? She felt a resounding void, just thinking about it. There was no place on earth safer than wherever Alucard was. Half-heartedly, she nodded.

"I will follow you."

"Good," he crooned, touching his forehead to hers in a display of excitement. "Soon, we will be leaving Hellsing, for good."

Seras knit her brow in confusion.

"How?" she inquired.

"Carefully," he chuckled. "You will help. But you will need to grow stronger. _Much _stronger."

Yay! I couldn't wait to _really_ start the story. :D Any tips on how she can develop this new strength are welcome. I have several ideas, but they could stand to be more creative. They mostly involve much bloodletting. :D *evil laugh*

I don't want to drop out of character as the plot develops. Up until this point, this story has been nothing but thick character development and I don't want to lose that when things _actually happen_.

Food for thought: how will Archer factor into Alucard's master plan? BUAH HA HA!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Innocence

Seras locked the bathroom door and examined her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were hollow and tired – a good sign that she was in need of blood. The space behind her grew dark, and then moved as if liquefied. Alucard materialized from a cloud of black, drawing to his full height behind Seras. Ever since their conversation, two days ago, she saw Alucard in a different light. There were threads of genius in his actions and words that, before, were a mystery to her. For the first time, Alucard didn't seem solely mysterious and wicked. He was also extremely clever and observant.

"You look tired," he commented and smoothed his hands along her back. Seras sighed and tried to relax her muscles, so that his work would go to good use. For two days, Alucard had taken her into the hills, just to fight. He beat her brutally, claiming it would extend her level of endurance. She was unable to fend off the attacks, and went home every day before dawn with sore muscles and a throbbing headache.

"I'm beginning to learn that the more energy I use, the more blood I need," she muttered, sighing when his palm unwound a tense part of her back. "I locked the door for a reason, you know." She gave Alucard a playful look, through the reflective surface of the mirror.

"And I misted through it for a reason, too. It's much too early in the night to start breaking down doors." He gathered her hair into his hands and pushed it to the side, exposing her neck. Seras shuddered as his face dropped down and his breath bathed her neck with warmth. He pressed slow, soothing kisses on the tight muscles of her neck and shoulders, pushing aside her shirt when it interfered.

Seras had come to see his mild and playful displays of affection as little more than his way of teasing and putting her on edge. However, the nips and kisses to her neck and face were becoming commonplace and, strangely, enjoyable for Seras. She stopped trying to fend them off, and was surprised when Alucard continued despite her obvious consent with his actions. Nevertheless, she hadn't experienced another encounter with him like she had before the fireplace…

"No fighting in the wilderness today." He nipped at her skin, making Seras jump. "You're getting too weak for that. Today, I think we should work on purifying your blood, which will make you stronger."

"How do we do that?" Seras asked, closing her eyes when she felt his tongue flatten against her skin. A shiver dashed up her spine and she relaxed her weight into Alucard, feeling the tension leak from her body, into his.

"I can show you, if you'd like." His voice hummed against her throat. Without warning, his teeth sank into her neck. Seras jerked in surprise, but then sighed and allowed Alucard to hold her upright. Her eyes closed and she enjoyed the gentle lap of his tongue against her bleeding wound. The air about them hummed with Alucard's spike in power and delight at her submission.

"How does this affect the purity of _my _blood?" she slurred, feeling frightfully near unconsciousness. She imagined Alucard and what he would do with her unconscious body. Her eyes shot open.

"Relax," he chuckled, withdrawing from her neck. His tongue lapped up the blood that pooled outside the wound before it could trickle down her chest. His voice was thick with blood lust. "In order to make your blood pure, you need more of my blood in you than your own. It takes large amounts to make your power increase, but with time it should be effective, if we do this every day." He turned her around, to face him. She was jelly in his hands.

"Do what every day…?" she wondered hazily before Alucard positioned her head against his chest. She closed her eyes, yawning. Alucard sighed in frustration.

"No, Seras, don't sleep. _Drink_." She realized what he was trying to get her to do. Lazily, she nuzzled his neck before dipping her fangs effortlessly into the flesh of his neck. He hissed loudly when Seras rolled her tongue over the fresh blood and her mind became overpowered with the potency of it. With renewed vigor, she clamped down onto his neck and sucked harshly on the skin, drawing the blood into her mouth more quickly.

She felt the distantly familiarity of molten lava surging through her veins and an involuntary moan left her throat. She held him more tightly, pressing her chest against his. He let out a muted growl and pulled her hips to his roughly. His neck craned down toward her neck and his teeth sank into the skin near her shoulder. With heightened senses, Seras felt sparks of intense pleasure at the site of his bite.

His blood was rich and made her feel heady, like she was drinking too much of a wine that was too sweet. Her movements were sluggish as she staggered forward, inadvertently pushing Alucard against the bathroom wall. His back hit the flowered wallpaper with a thud. The sound made a clearing in the heady wall of fog around her brain. Her bloodied lips detached from his neck with a sensuous smack.

She peered up at him, eyes dilated and glassy. He disengaged from her neck to interrogate her with a gaze. She felt his blood on her lips, slippery and sweet. Absently, her fingers curled in his hair. His eyes and stance became stiff and guarded at the gesture.

"Why does your blood make me feel this way?" she asked quietly, pushing into his mind the feverish lust that consumed her as she drank. His eyes lit with arrogance. He stroked her face with the backside of his gloved hand, a cruel glimmer in his eyes.

"Because my blood is pure," he answered simply. Her brow knit in concentration.

"Mine isn't? Then why do you like it so much?" At this, he leaned forward and licked the blood from her lips. Seras gasped in surprise as his tongue connected with her lips, and then moaned when she realized what he was up to. Impulsively, she surged forward and connected their lips completely. Alucard frowned and stilled his movements, not liking that Seras was doing the kissing, with no teasing, bloodletting, or humiliating in sight.

Mildly curious about what his little vampiress would do on her own, Alucard made himself motionless but pliable. Seras' lips pressed against his with a gentle urgency and hesitancy that confirmed what he already knew – that she was definitely a virgin. With a blush, Seras broke away from him, ducking her head in shame.

"Sorry, Master. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You weren't," he muttered, disengaging from her entirely. "Work on walking through walls for a bit," he uttered with a sly grin. "I'm going for a walk." He unlocked the door and left so suddenly, the room seemed cold and empty without him. Seras wrinkled her nose, disgusted at the blatant weakness she had shown to her master when he expected nothing from her except strength.

Examining her reflection once more, Seras realized that her hair had grown considerably since their move to the mansion. She looked like a child, staring back at her reflection with wide, innocent eyes. She hated that innocence. On an impulse, she grabbed a pair of dull scissors from the bathroom cabinet and hacked at her blond locks until they fell against her jaw unevenly. Satisfied, she tossed the scissors away and went to find Alucard. She went very quietly.

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><p>And now it is time to move slowly toward the plot again. -.- GRRRR<strong>R!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**A Midnight Stroll**

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><p>The night was cool and deceptively bright. The moon's silvery surface cast an odd grey tint on the world and Alucard took in a deep and rewarding breath. There was a small body of water an acre from the mansion, and after a long stroll he found himself at the water's edge. His lip twitched in memory of his pupil.<p>

From the moment Alucard met Seras, saw her, breathed her, he knew what use she could be to him. The situation with the maggot vampire, the _priest_, was only an excuse to draw Seras into the darkness with him. That's where he needed her. After all, how could she overthrow Hellsing without being a vampire in the first place? He envisioned Seras raging through Hellsing, throwing soldiers against the walls while she searched for Integra, out for blood. The concept made him giddy.

It was a nice change, being far enough from his pupil that she wasn't at least mildly aware of his thoughts. He was careful to keep her out of his head whenever he was plotting and deciding exactly how to execute his plans. The expanse of his mind was roaming freely through the grassy area, feeling and touching and sensing everything within several hundred feet. Rats, rabbits, insects…they writhed and wormed through the night, just as he did. Gradually, Alucard became aware of a stronger, more familiar consciousness near his own, as well as a strong and peculiar presence.

_This should be interesting._

His lips tipped in a grin and he vanished in the night.

Damn it. Seras was hot on his tracks, and then his trace was completely lost. She staggered unexpectedly when an upheaved root caught on her foot. She found her balance again before utterly tumbling to the ground, and listened closely for any sign that she had been found out. The grass cleared into a small lake, where the moon was reflected almost perfectly. Seras sighed, sat in the grass, and stared up at the stars. There was a snap of a twig and her eyes shot to the grass, her mind reaching out for her master.

A black paw crossed the threshold from the high grasses to the low grasses around the lake. Seras stilled, heart thudding loudly, and waited for the animal to come closer. Two oval-shaped green eyes stared at her keenly, with other-worldly intelligence. The moonlight illuminated silky black fur that stretched over the sinew and muscle of a black panther. An alarm went off in Seras' mind.

_Are there panthers around here…?_

_**Good evening, Seras. How are you enjoying your midnight stroll?**_

The cool, collected, _familiar_ voice invaded her mind and she scrambled to her feet, falling backward and muddying her clothes. The panther stepped forward, sat in the grass, and blinked at her.

"What the…" she started, before her master interrupted.

"He's a shape shifter, Seras. This is his familiar form." Alucard stepped into the clearing, seemingly from nowhere. He appraised the panther with new appreciation. "Why, Archer, I never suspected such…intrigue from a puny creature such as you." The name was like a slap in the face. Seras balked, gaze shooting from tall, intimidating vampire to lithe, muscled cat. The intelligent green eyes glittered with mirth.

_**Your master does not appreciate warlocks in her vicinity. **_Archer's voice echoed through both of their minds, like someone shouting through a megaphone to everyone and no one.

"Warlocks?" Seras muttered, scattering the mud and grass from her behind.

"Yes, Seras, _warlocks_. Shape shifters are almost _certainly_ doers of witchcraft. In this form, Archer bears the stench of magic. It is in his blood. I can't believe I didn't notice sooner."

_**I am efficient at hiding my talents.**_

"So why introduce them now, young servant?" Alucard's eyes glittered in an open challenge. Surprisingly, Archer's odd laugh resounded in response. It was the first time Seras had heard his laugh…and it was unsettling.

_**I am also talented at observing. Always dusting, always flitting to and fro while the two of you murmur in the wee hours of the morning and train in the hills all night. I've followed you. I've heard your plans.**_

Alucard's jaw tightened. How could he have been followed, without knowing? It was impossible. If someone were to interfere with his plan…they would have to be dealt with harshly.

"What are you going to do about it?" Seras demanded with a dangerous glint in her eye. Surprised, Alucard let out a harsh chuckle, to which she scowled.

_**I want to help. **_

It took a moment for Seras to realize what he was saying. Help them take down Hellsing? She took a cautious step toward the cat and his eyes gleamed back at her, unfazed. "You want to help…how?"

_**There's something you need to understand about me. I am not in this form because I am a human magician. I belong to a rare race of shifters that lived peacefully, far from the civilization that rejected us. Among them, I was a leader. **_His voice was embittered as he continued. _**Integra connected killings in a nearby village to my panthers. One bad seed in my group of 40, and she had us all put down. Except me, their leader, and my sister, the next heir. Integra separated us, and gave me the most humiliating jobs she could – always serving her or her servants. Integra Hellsing is an evil master, and I want nothing more than to bring her empire to the ground.**_

Seras blinked rapidly at the influx of information and her eyes shifted to Alucard. He was thinking, his jaw and fists clenched.

"How will you help us?" Alucard asked carefully, eyes bright in the night.

_**I am quiet, and, when I want to be, inconspicuous. I am also very fast and can escape a bad situation unscathed.**_

"Then how did you not escape the slaughtering of your kind?" Alucard inquired with a wicked smirk. Seras gasped in horror and glared at Alucard for being so insensitive. The panther huffed.

_**I could have escaped. They were my people.**_

Alucard seemed to have acquired the information he desired. "For now, I know what you can do. Keep a careful watch over Seras, over the next several months. Your new purpose in life is to make sure that she lives through this, no matter what." There was a dangerous glint in her master's eyes. It made unease stir inside of her.

The panther's head bowed in understanding. _**Yes, Master,**_ he agreed formally and Seras bristled with pride. To hear such submission and gratitude from a creature as rare and beautiful as Archer was an amazing thing. _**I only request…**_

"That I find your sister, at the end of it all." Alucard smiled a wide, animalistic smile. "Yes, I will find her."

_**Thank you,**_ the panther sighed.

"Remember your task and I will remember my promise," Alucard concluded, before evaporating and leaving them alone. In the next instant, the panther slipped into the grass and Seras was alone. She kicked at the water in the lake. The ripples were almost hypnotizing. With a sigh, she pondered her master's sudden interest in keeping her safe, "no matter what"… Alucard was acting strangely, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

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><p><strong>OK, so I introduced this new element. I planted Archer for a reason, after all. :D He's going to help accomplish this thing that, otherwise, would've been impossible. In case you haven't noticed, I seriously hate Integra. <strong>

**Please, give me a shout out about this shape shifter thing. Does it ruin the plot? Is it too cliche? Maybe you see Archer as a different animal? I'm anxious about this, since I'm creating..well..a race of creatures. I'd love some feedback about it.**

**I'm on a roll, folks. **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Medicated Hell

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><p>The mansion was cold when Seras returned from the fields. She lit the fireplace and sat on the ground in front of it, remembering the evening when her master did the unthinkable in the chair just behind her. Seras felt as though there were a sea of dots for her to connect, but she just couldn't. Why had her master touched her so crudely, only to throw her from his lap? She wasn't buying his story about distracting Seras from the guilt that plagued her…<p>

_Although, I haven't thought about Alaric in a long while_. Was she becoming callous?

"Dear God, let us hope so," Alucard chuckled from the shadows. He stepped into the light of the fireplace and sat beside Seras, long legs sprawling out in front of him. Seeking to put her mind far from the last time they enjoyed a warm sit before the fire, Seras changed the subject.

"What is next, on our way to making me stronger?"

"We will continue purifying your blood, until you are loosed from your servitude to me. _Then_ you will be strong. We will also train you, so that when you come into your strength, you know how to utilize it."

"How long will that take?" Seras inquired, red eyes gleaming.

"Possibly months."

Seras clenched her fist and sighed. _Months_. Archer walked by, muttering, "Good evening," before disappearing in the library. Seras stared into the fire, wishing she were somewhere else – somewhere with a wide, open terrain and beautiful mountains. It had always been Seras' desire to travel. Once Hellsing was obliterated, she planned on doing just that, whether or not Alucard followed.

"What will you do, once you are no longer bound to me as a servant?" Alucard inquired, sensing the nature of her thoughts. Seras' eyes locked with his, reflecting the flames.

"I want to see the world and experience it." She closed her eyes and tapped into a deep place in her – a place that was neglected and hidden. "I want to meet someone who will love me, and stay with me for all eternity."

"Another vampire, I presume?" Alucard asked, a strangeness in his voice.

"Of course," Seras spat, surprised at the disgust at his mentioning a human mate. "I could love no one other than another of my kind." She examined Alucard critically. He was grinning.

"Finally, you understand." He stood and vanished into the mansion. Seras peered at the tall, withering walls and realized that they didn't scare her anymore. Nothing did.

_Except Master, when he's worked into a real bloodlust,_ she corrected with a shiver. _That_ was something to fear. She recalled those long nights where, as punishment, Integra deprived Alucard of blood. In the end, she only caused harm to the workers and soldiers of Hellsing.

Once Alucard was released from his fast, he was in the mood to kill. Once, he picked off a prisoner of Hellsing, tearing him to pieces in his cell. Integra would've done away with Alucard, but she claimed that, since it was a prisoner, it could be excused. Seras didn't believe her, naturally. Instead, Seras adopted the belief that Integra couldn't kill Alucard. No one could.

_Yes_, Seras realized with a clench of her jaw. _I hate Integra Hellsing for what she's done to Master and I._ The insults, the way she treated them like dogs, and not to mention the way she acted as though Seras was a disposable asset… rage boiled in Seras, alerting Alucard to her thoughts. The streams of their thoughts merged unexpectedly, and Seras caught a glimpse through Alucard's eyes. She saw the shower wall and laughed when she realized he was showering.

_A peep show, hmm, Seras? _The ancient vampire's laugh echoed through her mind. She rolled her eyes and came to her feet.

_Hardly. _

_Why were you so __**angry**__ just now?_

_I remembered the time Integra locked you up and deprived you of blood._

_When I killed the human. Did it make you angry, that I killed the human in cold blood, Seras?_

With a pause, Seras realized that Alucard's killing the human hadn't angered her at all. Instead, the way Alucard was treated for killing the human was what set her off. She shivered as she realized that something had indeed changed inside of her, in the last several weeks.

_I wait for your answer, Seras Victoria,_ he prompted slyly, as if he already knew the answer.

_No. I was angry about the way that Integra treated you that night. Like a beast._

Frighteningly, Seras felt his bloodlust spike, spearing through her mind. A darkness lingered on the outer edge of his consciousness as he tamed the urge to kill and came back into himself.

_Well, well, well, _Alucard laughed. _Is that _fear_ I smell on you, with a touch of lust?_

Embarrassed, Seras climbed the stair and hid in the coffin, covering her face. She was tired of her mind being a constant open door for Alucard's. She wished she could cut it off, whenever she pleased.

_When you're free of my servitude, you will be able to close your mind to me, but only for short periods of time. _Alucard materialized behind her, clothed and warm. _But you will always be linked to me, Seras. I will always feel you out there, wherever you may roam. _He sank his teeth down into the crook of her neck and Seras cried out in surprise. His arms formed a prison around her, not that she wanted to escape. Her eyes drifted closed and her breathing was shallow as Alucard took all he wanted, the dark rim about his mind receding, very slowly.

* * *

><p>Archer sat in the armchair that rested before the fireplace and watched the flames dance. With a shaking hand, he extracted the silver locket that was hidden in his coat pocket. Inside was the image of his sister – a young girl with pitch black hair and sharp brown eyes. He kissed the photo and returned it to his pocket.<p>

The familiar rage that swept through him was kept at bay by his desire to keep quiet and not disturb the slumbering vampires upstairs. He swallowed thickly and watched the embers float and pop in the dark. The first light of day crept over the horizon and poured through the open windows. He closed his eyes and sighed as the warm morning light bathed his skin.

Integra Hellsing.

Her blood would soak his maw by the end of the year. He didn't understand why, but he trusted the older vampire when he said that he would find Celeste and bring her to him. Archer planned on being a part of the hunt, but nothing works quite as well as the mind and determination of a vampire.

Archer didn't understand the dynamic between child and sire in the vampire world, but there were definitely hormones involved in the relationship between Seras and Alucard. He frequently found himself dodging out of rooms during their strange moments alone. The static in the room was overpowering to his heightened senses. In this, he feared for Seras' safety. Alucard was dangerous. That much was clear to Archer. There was a darkness occupying him that made Archer walk more carefully, listen more closely, and watch more intensely when Alucard was around. The suave ease the vampire exuded didn't fool Archer.

He was downright demonic.

Sighing, Archer rose and paced to the kitchen, where he popped three pills and wobbled back to the sofa. The medication mingled with his blood. A sheet of black fell over his vision as the pills took effect and he drifted into deep sleep.

A medicated hell.


	10. Chapter 10

Why?  
>FEAR Chapter Ten: Why?<p>

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><p>Seras reclined in the grass and stared at the stars. The moon was high in the sky and glinted off the surface of the grassy hilltop. Archer, Seras' newfound body guard, lounged in the grass and watched her with bored yellow eyes.<p>

They were waiting for Alucard.

After half an hour, Seras heard his footsteps as he mounted the hill. She sat up and watched expectantly. When he came into view, she sighed in relief.

"Alucard, you're late," Archer spoke into both of their minds. The panther sounded aggrivated. It made Seras wince. She feared a fight would break out between the two males. She was relieved when Alucard merely chuckled.

"It is a beautiful night, my dear panther. I chose to enjoy my stroll around the countryside. You could have come and found me, Seras." In the moonlight, the vampire's eyes glinted. "Hmmm, I like this concept."

A wicked, toothy grin split his face. The wind rustled the long black tendrils of his hair, lashing it out against the moon's giant, grinning face. "Seras... come find me!" He vanished in a cloud of mist ans Seras gasped. Archer yawned.

"This isn't funny, Alucard. We are supposed to be training, remember?"

Seras called into the night but received no response. Sighing, she set about searching for her playmate. Archer followed a few feet behind.

After searching through shrubs and tall patches of grass, Seras was thoroughly peeved by her master's little game. "Please, Alucard, I'd rather fight than play this game." She knew he wouldn't respond to her aloud, so she expanded the tentacles of her mind, feeling around the hilltop for her master's dark presence.

Seras sensed the minds of a few mice, several insects, and even an owl that perched in a nearby tree. But she didn't sense Alucard. She kept walking, trying to feel for him. When she felt his darkness radiating closer to the mansion, she gasped and sprinter in that direction. The strength of his presence grew and grew, but he kept silent. Once she was certain he was within a few feet, she stopped.

And a hand clapped over her mouth.

She squirmed and tried to wiggle away from Alucard's grasp, but he held her to his chest from behind. His arms locked around her painfully and his low chuckle set Seras' blood ablaze with anger.

"Good, Seras. I feared you wouldn't figure it out on your own. Now, try and locate a moving target." He evaporated and Seras staggered forward. Archer sighed into her mind and curled up in the grass a few feet away.

Seras craned her neck to watch the mansion rooftop. The fleeting pulses of Alucard's presence seemed to come from somewhere elevated. She meandered along the backside of the mansion in a mental game of Marco Polo.

A wail peirced the night as she smashed her toe against something metal. Curious, the young vampiress poked the giant thing that rested against the mansion. A blue tarp was thrown over it. She peeled back the plastic...

"My coffin!" There it was - the large, metal coffin that Alucard insisted was on its way to the mansion. He had hid it, behind the house. He had lied.

His throaty laugh echoed through the air and Archer sat upright, an ear perked in curiosity.

"Are you hurt, Seras?" Archer inquired through the link of their minds. Seras frowned.

"No, but I would really like to hurt Alucard right about now..." The young vampire crept along slowly, eyes closed and mind lashing against the empty night, searching frantically for her foolish, deceptive, and constantly-moving master.

She felt him, for a split second, fly behind her. She waited. He was beside her, above her, all around her until...

Instinct overran her system as Seras lunged forward with a snarl. Her body connected with his and when her eyes opened, they were prostrate in the grass.

She was atop Alucard, her fingers coiled instinctively around his throat. She watched him blink in surprise before grinning.

"Good job." He stood, sending Seras flailing to the ground. "You managed to find me. You will be able to do the same with Integra, once you have her running about Hellsing in terror." Alucard's eyes were like red flames as he appraised Seras. "Now come. Training for tonight is over."

Excitedly, Seras scrambled to her feet and raced to keep up. After "training" came the bloodletting, and she couldn't stop her growing excitement. There was an addictive quality to her master's blood, but he never let her take too much. He feared freeing her from his servitude too early.

Once inside, Archer went off to mind his own business. He knew better than to stick around when the two vampires were taking from one another. He always worried that he would suddenly appear tasty.

Alucard decided, instead of pinning Seras against the wall in the living room like usual, that he wanted to go to the coffin. Seras followed in pure curiosity and lay beside him.

"Why did you hide the other coffin in the back?" she inquired breathlessly as Alucard's tongue flattened against her pulse point, making her blood rush to her ears.

"I would rather not talk now," he growled and sank his teeth into her neck as easily as a warm knife sliding through butter.

Seras gasped and arched off the bed. That initial pain never ceased to drive her bloodlust through the roof. She felt her fangs elongate in anticipation for that first euphoric drop of his ancient blood to paint her tongue.

His body hovered over hers and he shoved her knees apart, resting his hips between them. Seras gasped at the connection between their hips. "W-What are you doing?"

"Making it even better," he purred, not without sounding affected by the feel of their intimate parts pressed together.

Seras let out a strangled gasp when her master's hips surged forward, driving against her womanhood. She felt a flush of warmth in her lower abdomen and blushed at the foreign lust that clouded her mind.

In a similar manner, he ground his hardness againt her and it sent her nerves into a frenzy. She had the fleeting thought that she was crossing a line - they shouldn't be so intimate with one another - but the need to drink was so strong...

She bit down into his neck, hard. A low growl vibrated Alucard's chest as he sensed the ecstasy that sang through Seras at the taste of his blood.

Suddenly, she found herself moaning and arching against the older vampire. The vehemence of her reaction was unexpected, and Alucard restrained her with a bruising grip on her wrists.

She sucked and lapped at his blood in a complete bloodlust, like she'd never experienced before. The darkness that Alucard exuded seemed to pulse and whir about them, but this time she was the source. It was like taking a hot bath in a tub filled with a million miniscule vibrating pebbles. It sent Seras over the edge and out of her right mind.

"Master," she moaned, bucking up to meet each rough roll of his hips. He ground crudely against her groin and, even through the barrier of their clothes, she could feel his hardness rubbing against her clit.

The low, simmering heat that built in Seras turned into a raging boil as Alucard bit down harder. She did the same, her limbs clinging to him as he drove his arousal into hers.

"Don't stop," she gasped out, surprised that the words had even left her lips. "Oh...oh, shit..." For a moment, it felt as though the walls were closing in. Each agonizing stroke from his clothed erection sent sparks up her spine. Her nails tore into his back and her fangs sank deeper into his neck as her body shook and was washed with white-hot pleasure.

Alucard continued to buck his hips wildly until, with a shuddering groan, his movements stilled.

There was a long, devastating silence as the haze cleared from both of their minds and Seras began to think about what had happened.

Humiliation washed away her post-climax glow.

She had just dry-humped her master, and they had climaxed together as a result of it. It seemed so preposterous and for a moment she couldn't believe it.

But as Alucard's teeth left her neck and his weight rolled off her, she knew it had to be real and not a dream.

Only one question plagued her - why?

Loyal re

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><p>aders, I am so unfair to you! However, since I'm writing alll this smuttish goodness on a tablet instead of a laptop, I think you should forgive me. Trust me, 1000 words on a Kindle Fire is like a MILLION on a real computer.<p>

Sooooooo...still writing filler-type stuff, but it is important, too. Let me know your thoughts.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The next night, Seras was uneasy. She watched Alucard stride across the living room from the kitchen, where she poured a glass of fresh blood into a wine glass. Her body required more blood lately, and while she was free to take from Alucard, she didn't want that intimate contact anymore. The thought pestered her mind, _What kind of girl am I?_ She never intended to be a slut. She wasn't the type of girl to hump an unavailable man.

But why didn't she consider Alucard available?

She laughed audibly at the thought. Because he just _wasn't_.

"What has you chuckling, Seras?" Alucard appeared beside her, taking the wine glass of blood and knocking it back in one big swallow. "You do get tangled up in your thoughts often, don't you?"

Stubbornly, Seras pulled another blood bag from the refrigerator and another wine glass from the cupboard. Annoyed, Alucard snatched the glass from her. "Take from me, instead."

Brow arched, Seras bared her fangs at him and bit into the blood bag. The cold metallic fluid poured down her throat and, hips swaying, she strolled away in victory. Seras knew she would be punished. Her face showed no surprise when he grabbed her and forced her against the wall.

"This is getting old," she sighed. "You're always pinning me against something or another. Honestly, Alucard, I just want to train. Can we stop this?"

His red eyes seethed. "You've become arrogant, Police Girl."

She glared at the mention of her old pet name. "I have a great example to follow," she spat back at him.

"Take from me," he commanded.

"_No_," she asserted.

His grip on her arms tightened. "Don't disobey me," he warned. She knew how badly he could hurt her, but for some reason, she couldn't seem to care.

"Fine," she snarled, rearing her head back. She used all of her force to bite down on Alucard's neck, taking a big bite of his flesh. And rather than open the veins and lap from the blood, her teeth crunched down. She tore a massive chunk of flesh from Alucard's neck. A hole the size of an apple gushed his sweet noble blood, which painted much of Seras' face. With a feral grin, she watched the shock in his eyes, waited as the realization ignited him to fury.

"_Fool!_" he howled, his wound quickly healing, leaving his ivory skin blood stained.

Grinning, Seras licked her lips. "Release me."

She saw his rage, knew he could easily rip her limbs off. Still, her eyes challenged him. Sharply, painfully, Alucard's mind entered her. The pure evil he revealed to her there made her chest heave suddenly, her pupils dilate. She grit her teeth. "Stop that."

Gore. Battlefields of dead humans, the earth made muddy with blood. Decapitated heads on pointed stakes, sticking out of the ground, surrounding a foreboding castle in the misty night. Men, gutted, their insides spilling at Alucard's feet. His bare hands raised toward the sky, reigning terror on anyone who would oppose him. His maw drenched in black blood.

"Stop," Seras hissed, trying to push his mind out. She was aroused. She felt her body gravitate toward his, wanting not to be touched, but to be abused. "_Fucking stop!_"

The images halted, emptying from her mind like water disappearing into the bathtub's drain. Her breathing calmed, but as her eyes focused, she realized that something had changed about Alucard. He seemed disconnected, immersed in his own thoughts. Then,

"You were aroused by that outburst."

It wasn't a question; it was a statement of fact. Seras' cheeks blushed bright red. He seemed genuinely surprised. The thoughts - his dreams - had accidentally invaded her mind, a result of his extreme anger and, if he was honest, arousal. Seras' defiance had him ready to pounce. _Not even a month ago, those images would've horrified her… and now they ready her body for sex,_ he thought. Alucard sensed that he was entering a dangerous place. Seras saw the shift in his eyes from astonishment to pure lust. In the next instant, she was flung over his shoulder. They moved through the hall.

"Alucard! Stop!"

"Stop pretending, Seras. You're ready." Those images - the worst of them - leaked between their link once more. It was a switch he turned on inside her. She could practically taste the blood of the fallen men, innocent men with families. And knowing that each man had a life, a past, and dreams only aroused Seras more. The sheer brutality of it made her wet. She felt she was going out of her mind. She felt something happening, deep in her mind. A transformation. Her darkness was emerging. She blacked out.

When Seras returned to her body, she was lying naked beside Alucard, who was, strangely enough, also naked. Her body ached. She felt his dry saliva all over her, even on her thighs. Healing bruises and gashes freckled her entire body. Her hair was a tangled, bloody mess. And a throbbing pain inside of her confirmed that yes, Alucard had taken her virginity.

"Welcome back," Alucard drawled, smiling over at her from where he reclined easily in the coffin. He seemed too pleased with himself. "It's nice to see that clarity in your eyes again. You're no fun when you're entirely compliant."

"I-I don't remember anything."

Alucard's brow arched, and a chuckle vibrated his chest. "Allow me to remind you."

He showed her. He showed her everything, and from his perspective. Her wanton writhing beneath him, her begging, her clawing, her screaming. Yes, screaming. The images made her face hot, and not in the way Alucard would've hoped. She was ashamed. She felt used.

"You consented," Alucard reminded her, reading her thoughts.

"You knew I wasn't in my right mind," she snapped as, fighting tears, she tore from the room. Hiding in the bathroom, she questioned if Alucard truly didn't know that she wouldn't remember their sexual encounter. The future of their relationship teetered on the answer.


End file.
